The Beginnings of the Satanic Verses, if You Like, in Cambridge

Salman studied a set ofdis ted verses spoken by the prophet mohammed that early islamic scholars have argued about. He makes it an exchange between what is profane and what is divine, between what is politically expedient and religiously authentic. What he's doing is saying, the incident of the satanic verses, way back when islam was being founded, in the seventh century is a case of testimony inspired by satan, then corrected by god. And does salman do with it in the novel? The verses are used as a foil for rushty, if you like.